A complement is a phrase or clause that is added to another constituent to complete latter’s meaning. In grammar, we broadly have four complements: noun complement, adjective complement, verb complement, and preposition complement. The first three are sometimes obligatory for their constituent to make sense – and sometimes not. Hence, they’re more confusing than preposition complement, which is always obligatory.
This post covers one of the four complements, adjective complement.
What is adjective complement?
Consider these sentences:
She is fond.
The community is reliant.
Do they look incomplete in some way? She is fond of what? The community is reliant on what? Now consider these:
She is fond of reading mystery novels.
The community is reliant on donations from generous benefactors.
In the above sentences, prepositional phrases of reading mystery novels and on donations from generous benefactors are complements to adjectives fond and reliant, respectively. They complete the meaning of their respective adjectives and hence are their complements.
A complement of adjective (or adjective phrase) is a phrase or clause that follows the adjective or (adjective phrase) and completes its meaning.
In the above two examples, the complement is required: Without them the sentences would be incomplete. That’s one extreme. Some adjective phrases though may need complement to a lesser degree. Consider these sentences:
I’m glad.
My boss is mad.
The two seem fine – but incomplete. With complements, they look more complete:
I’m glad to see you.
My boss is mad at me.
To expand the earlier definition, a complement of adjective phrase is a phrase or clause that follows its adjective phrase and completes its meaning. Need for complementation maybe strong in some adjective phrases (fond, reliant) and less strong in some (glad, mad). In other words, adjective complements work on a sliding scale (or spectrum), rather than as zero or 100 percent.
It usually doesn’t complement attributive adjectives
We can complement adjective phrases in subject complement, object complement, and postpositive positions. (In postpositive position, adjective follows the noun or pronoun it modifies.)
The task was difficult to accomplish. [Adjective as subject complement]
They found the task difficult to accomplish. [Adjective as object complement]
I’m looking for something difficult to accomplish. [Postpositive adjective]
But we usually can’t complement attributive adjectives. So, difficult to accomplish task is not correct. We can though sometimes complement attributive adjectives discontinuously. So, difficult task to accomplish is correct.
What all can be complement of adjectives?
Prepositional phrases, noun clauses, infinitive phrase, and participial phrase can complement adjectives. Let’s take few examples of each. For each sentence, see how severely the sentence loses meaning without the complement. That, in nutshell, tells what adjective complements are.
(Adjective phrases are in blue font and complements have been underlined.)
Prepositional phrase as complement of adjective
1. I am proud of my achievements. [The underlined prepositional phrase complements adjective proud]
2. She is conscious of the risks involved in the experiment.
3. The company is liable for any damages caused by their product.
4. He is anxious about the interview.
5. I am fully aware of the deadline.
6. He is interested in astronomy.
7. They were delighted with the result.
8. They were excited about the trip.
Noun clause as complement of adjective
Some grammar books use the term complement clause in place of noun clause. (They’re one and the same.) In those books, adjective-complement clause (or clause that complements adjective) is nothing but this.
1. We are glad that you could join us on this occasion. [The underlined noun clause complements adjective glad]
2. I’m not sure which she prefers.
3. The investigators are unsure how such an accident could have happened.
4. We are uncertain when the project will be completed.
Infinitive phrase as complement of adjective
1. I’m very eager to meet her. [The underlined infinitive phrase complements adjective eager]
2. The violin is difficult to play.
3. They were hesitant to invest in the new company.
4. I am happy to help with the project.
Participial phrase as complement of adjective
A participial phrase can occasionally complement adjectives. Examples:
1. She is busy organizing the event. [The underlined participial phrase complements adjective busy]
2. They are occupied solving the puzzle.
3. He seemed happy baking cookies.
4. They were excited planning the trip.
